A circular can with a cover and a bottom member has been known for a long time, where the cover and the bottom member are secured by means of a closing flange to the cylindrical body of the can. The top side of the cover is provided with a pull ring, viz. an easy-open device, as well as upwardly projecting stacking projections, and the bottom member is provided with corresponding stacking projections. When two identical cans are stacked atop one another, the pull ring is almost completely protected from bumps and impacts because the stacking projections transfer the vertical pressure between the cans while they simultaneously maintain such a distance between the cover of the lower can and the bottom surface of the upper can that the pull ring is not squeezed. Such a can is, however, not completely satisfactory because the projections interfere with the distribution of the material in the cover which may cause undesired tensions in said material and consequently weak, i.e. leaking portions at the score line during the handling of the can. Furthermore it turned out that a very high number of cans of this type stacked atop one another involves a risk of the lower can leaking already when it is subjected to a vertical load of approximately 40 N. In addition, the manufacture of such a can is not as easy as it should be because when the cover is to be seamed onto the body of the can it is not easy to make room for a closing chuck between the nose of the pull ring and the cover closing flange, said closing chuck functioning as a counter-tool for the seaming implement.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,650,520 discloses a stackable can with a cover and a bottom member but without a pull ring.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,460 discloses a can with a cover provided with a pull ring and a score line. The pull ring does not present a slit in its intermediary portion.